Journal box lubricator



June 13, 1961 CHEN MING CHIH ETAL 2,988,406

JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR Filed Aug. 1, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H6. Z. j

Fie. 2.

IN VEN TORS' Clue-N, M/A/c CVM .lo/v M Aalras ami/P. LW

Tron/viv June 13, 1961 CHEN MING CHIH ETAL 2,988,406

JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR Filed Aug l, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS c//E/U, Mnl/5 chf/H dof/N 5054/05 TTOE/UEV United Safes Para This invention relates to lubricatingdevice'sfor shafts, axle journals and the like, and particularly to improved ICC i 2 1 y FIG. 5 `is la sectional view of lthe form of FIG. 4 taken on line V-V thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 but showing another modification of the invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ofthe accompanying drawings a sponge `blockl or pad 10, made preferably in two lubricators which, by means of capillary action, convey Whereas various devices such as felt pads, textile Waste,

natural Sponges, synthetic Sponges, Arubber Sponges and -I the like have been previously employed in railway journal boxes for transmitting oil from the bottom of the journal box up to the rotating axle or journal, such devicesof the prior art have been found to provide less than the desired results because of certain inherent disadvantages associated with the use of such materials. For example, it has been determined by experience that Waste packings for journal boxes are inefficient because of the ditl'iculty of proper installation and the need for continual agitation to keep the waste in contact with the journal, and because this material is a relatively slow transmitter of lubricant from the journal box reservoir to the rotating journal. Furthermore, waste packing tends to glaze and surface harden and is subject to what is known as waste gra which occurs when the waste fibers are caught by imperfections in the journal surface and are carried between the journal and the surface of the bearing. Moreover, such packings shift positionally incidental to train start ups. Packings formed of other materials hereinabove may also possess some or all of the recited disadvantages, and in addition usually tend .to settle or cornpress incidental to use, and require relatively large supplies of reservoir oil to insure continued functioning.

One object of the invention is to provide a lubricator of the synthetic cellulose sponge variety that Will effectively bear upon the underside of a car journal and thereby provide a dependable and uniform lubrication thereof. More specifically, it is an aim of the invention to augment to a desired degree the pressural Eaction of the sponge so as to enhance its lubrication capability. Further, it is within the purview of the invention in one specific instance to permit a compression of the sponge in an interior region thereof rather than at its lubricating face, thereby permitting relatively free passage of the lubricant from the sponge to the bearing surface of the journal as said journal rotates.

Another object is to provide a lubricant requiring no agitation or handling after having once been installed and only slight additions of lubricant over long periods of time. y

Still another object of the invention is to provide a packing medium formed of non-fibrous, non-linting material thereby eliminating fiber grab between the journal and the bearing.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification.

FIGURE l is a longitudinal sectional view through a railway car journal box, showing a lubricating pad of the present invention installed therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the invention taken on line lI--II of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the lubricating pads removed from the journal box;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of pad on a slightly reduced scale;

pieces 11 and `12, is made of synthetic cellulose material and mountedwithin the journal box 13 and below the journal 14 of the railroad car.` In its preferred form, the cellulose pad constituting the journal box packing possesses a fiber structure such that the pores thereof have their major dimension extending in a generally horizontal direction. t Such -af pore orientation facilitates the insertion of the padwint'o the journal box. Also, this particular` pore larrangement lessens somewhat the pressure of theA 'pad against the journal during operation.

Each of the pads isformed with a number of horizont'al apertures 16 locatednear the center thereof to-proyidera path for rapid transfer `of liquid lubricant 20 along theleng`thfof-the journal box. i The provision of the apertures also equalizes and moderates the resilient force of the compressed pad against the journal, thus providing cooler operation. 11n other words, the apertures 16 are designed to make the pad compress more in the region of the apertures rather than at the surface which bears against the journal 14. In this way, relatively free passage of the lubricant occurs in the region where it is most needed, that is, where the sponge material actually engages the journal. The lubricating pads have a cross sectional shape substantially the same as the interior contour of the journal box and of the journal, and when put in position they are forced within the box and under the journal thereby being slightly compressed so as to snugly tit the journal box and the journal and thereby have little tendency to shift or roll when in use. The pad will, of course, become saturated with the lubricant disposed in the oil reservoir of the journal box by means of the capillary or wicking action of the material, whereby a continued supply of oil will be furnished to the axle.

The lubricating pad illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is formed with horizontal apertures 16 and Ialso with a series of vertical apertures 21 which extend through the pad from the top to the bottom thereof and open into the oil reservoir. Vertical motion of the journal as in moving railway cars periodically compresses the lubricating pad so that liquid lubricant is literally pumped to the journal through the vertical apertures. The vertical apertures 21 also provide a means of washing dirt to the bottom of the journal box, thereby preventing the dirt from filtering out on the contact surface with a resulting hardening of that surface. Y

The pad 32 shown in FIG. 9 is generally similar to that shown in F-IG. 3 except that it is thicker through its central portion and the upper surface 33 thereof is struck froma radius larger than the radius of the journal, whereby when conformed to the journal greater pressure will be brought to bear on the central portion thereof. This form is preferably provided with longitudinal apertures 16.

As many changes could be m-ade in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that lall matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. v y l What is claimed:

1. In combination with a journal box and a rotatable journal extending thereinto, a journal box lubricator comprising a pad of synthetic Cellulose sponge material 0f as'ize to 'occupy substantially the entire space between the bottom of the journal box and the `underside of said journal with' substantially the entire lower surface of said pad engaging the bottom of ysaid journal box and the upper surface of said pad being formed with an arcuate groove extending parallel to vsaid journal and bearing thereagainst throughout the length and width of said groove, said pad also `having a centrally disposed aperture extending therethrough in adirection substantially parallel to said groove `and journal and spaced from both the upper and lower surfaces of said pad at an intermediate elevation such that its lower half is disposed beneath the level of the oil contained in the journal box.

2. A journal box lubricator in accordance with claim 1 in vwhich the pore structure of the cellulose pad is oriented in such a direction as .to have the major dimension thereof extend substantially horizontally when the pad is installed in a journal box.

3. A journal box lubricator in accordance with claim 1 in which said pad is thicker through its central portion.

4. A journal box lubricator in accordance with claim l in which said'pad is also provided with an additional aperture spaced to either side of said iirst-mentioned aperture, said @rst-mentioned aperture being larger in crosssection than said additional apertures.

5. A journal box lubricator in accordance with claim 4 in which said pad is further provided with other apertures extendingl therethrough at substantially right angles to said iirst-mentioned aperture, said other apertures being disposed in groups between said first-mentioned aperture and said additional apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

